Chapter 1: Silent Dawn The sunrise had begun 5:46 AM on the August morning, and Cocoa Browne was more eager than ever. The early morning sky always seemed to speak to the young artist. Silently, the fifteen-year-old girl grabbed her colored pencils, art paper, and digital camera. Moving towards her window, Cocoa froze.

*SQUEAK!*

Shoot! If she wakes up, I'll never be able to draw in peace!

Every inch of her hoped that she hadn't woken up her younger sister, Courtney. Cocoa stared at her sleeping fourteen-year-old sister. Much to her relief, Courtney only moved a bit and mumbled something about a guitar.

Haha. Cocoa laughed to herself. Courtney even dreams about music! That was a close one. What was I doing again? Oh yeah!

Cocoa quietly cleared off her desk, set up her art supplies, and snapped a picture of the Monday morning dawn. Noiselessly, she sat down and started to work. Several tedious minutes of artistic thought went by.

A line here, a dot there. Hmmm. What could go there? Cocoa pondered the age-old question. A cloud maybe? Mmmm. Yeah, that looks good. The young artist let out a triumphant sigh. Her work here was done. And it was a good thing too, because the daybreak was beginning to fade, and Courtney would be up soon. Most teens her age would still be asleep and the ones who were awake were exhausted. But not Cocoa! There was something about a quiet peaceful morning that put her at ease.

Trying not to wake her sister, Cocoa carefully opened the window and took a deep, long breath of clean, crisp air.

Good morning, Bridgetown. Cocoa smiled as she looked out at their small neighborhood in the small town she had always known. Softly but quickly, she shut the window and got busy getting ready for long school day ahead of her. It was the first day of school after all. Sighing peacefully, Cocoa sat on her bed and started to daydream.

She was running in a warm, grassy field with blue wildflowers. Then Cocoa thought she saw someone running in the distance, she tried to run faster, but it seemed impossible. All of a sudden, Cocoa heard a noise. It sounded like someone knocking, but who or what could make that sound in a prarie? There was a pause, and then she heard it again.

Coming back into reality, she realized it was her sister, Jessica, giving the secret knock on the door. Hurriedly, she opened it, and there stood her twelve year old sister.

"Mom says to get Courtney up now cuz it's time for breakfast" Jessica said calmly.

"Okay," Cocoa whispered "You can tell Mom that we'll be down soon," Cocoa paused, "But if we aren't, can you ask Mom to help me wake up Courtney?"

"Not a problem," Jessica replied.

"Thanks Jessica! You're a life saver" Cocoa said as her younger sister hurried down the stairs to tell their mother.

Glancing at the clock, Cocoa stopped in her tracks.

IT'S 7:45 A.M.? THE BUS WILL BE HERE IN 15 MINUTES!

Cocoa hurried to Courtney's bedside and started shaking her gently.

"Court, time to get up" Cocoa said kindly

"Mmmm just 5 more minutes" Courtney groaned

"It's the first day school Courtney" Cocoa stated to her sleepy sister

"Your point" Courtney shoved her head under the pillow

"The bus will be here in fifteen minutes" Cocoa declared

Courtney's head shot up from under the pillow

"Oh my gosh! You're not serious, are you?" Courtney exclaimed

"Yup," Cocoa confirmed, "if you don't hurry you'll miss breakfast."

"NOOOO!" Courtney got out of bed and frantically ran behind the screen in their room to change, "can you close the door behind you?"

"K see you downstairs" Cocoa said as she closed the door and hurried down stairs, all the while thinking to herself.

Wow. In two hours my life goes from a quiet morning to a busy school schedule. And who was that in my daydream? I wonder what's gonna happen next....

Chapter 2: Donuts and DaydreamsOnce Cocoa was downstairs, she quickly headed for the kitchen to get some breakfast. When she reached her destination, Cocoa stopped short. There on the counter was a box of donuts! Cocoa carefully opened the box, and to her delight there was a long donut with chocolate icing. Cocoa took a big bite, and realized that it had a boston creme pie filling: her favorite! Knowing her sister, Cocoa remembered that Courtney probably had gotten sidetracked while getting ready. Taking another bite of her donut, Cocoa yelled upstairs

"COURTNEY! IF YOU HURRY I'LL SAVE YOU A DONUT!"

"Donuts? We have DONUTS?!" came the slightly muffled reply

"Yes, Courtney, DO-NUTS!" Cocoa laughed, grabbing the milk jug and a cup. While she was pouring the milk, Cocoa wondered who it was in the daydream she had moments ago.

"Mom got us donuts? Sweet!" someone yelled.

Cocoa, startled by the sudden exclamation, jumped. Milk went everywhere. Cocoa turned around to see her younger brother, Kyle. Although Cocoa was the oldest sibling, at times Kyle seemed smarter. The thirteen-year-old had always loved math and electronics from an early age, and sometimes Kyle secretly helped the young artist with her homework.

"Thanks" Kyle smiled back and grabbed the roll of paper towels, "I'll clean this up for you," he got on the floor and started to wipe up the spilled milk, "By the way, where's Courtney?"

"OH MY GOSH! I forgot to see if she's ready!" Cocoa ran out of the kitchen and started going up the stairs when she saw her sister. With a sigh of relief, Cocoa grabbed Courtney's hand and nearly dragged her all the way down the stairs and into the kitchen.

"Oooh! Yummy!" Courtney grabbed a donut and started shoving it in her mouth.

"Don't mention it!" Kyle finished his donut, "Now let's hurry! The bus will be her any minute!"

"It's almost 8 already?" Jessica stepped into the kitchen and picked up a donut with pink strawberry frosting and sprinkles.

"Good morning, children" Mrs. Browne said gently.

"Morning," said Cocoa, still thinking about her daydream."Salutations," Kyle said with a somewhat nerdy importance."Good morning!" Jessica said with a bit of sun-shiney happiness."Hai mom!" Courtney said in a way that only she can.

The Brownes dashed outside and to their relief, the bus was still there.

"Ahh...another day of learning!" Kyle declared."Whew!" Courtney exclaimed, wiping imaginary sweat from her forehead."Right on time" the bus driver said with a smile."Thank you!" Jessica said cheerily."Thanks!" Cocoa got in the bus."Your welcome girls, any time" the bus driver replied, smiling.

There was a lot of noise as Cocoa walked through the crowded aisle of the school bus, looking for a friend to sit with, when she heard a shout from behind her,

"Hey Cocoa!"

Cocoa turned around and smiled when she saw her best friend, Ginger Lewis.

"Over here!" Ginger tapped the empty seat next to her.

"Okay, okay I'm coming!" Cocoa laughed as she took the seat by the window.

"Soooo what's up with you?" Ginger asked her best friend, "You look like you have something on your mind."

Cocoa, somewhat startled, turned to her best friend.

"Promise not to tell?" Cocoa pleaded.

"Promise," Ginger replied sincerely.

"Okay...I-"

Chapter 3: (haven't decided a name yet)

Cocoa finished telling Ginger about her daydream, as the bus came to a quick stop.

"Now that's a strange dream" Ginger replied while getting off the bus.

"It was a daydream Ginger" Cocoa corrected as she got off the bus.

"Who do you think it is?" Ginger asked while walking towards Bridgetown High, their small town's high/middle school.

"I don't know! Ugh! I won't be able to focus until I know!" Cocoa said, slightly angry, as she reached the doors to the school building.

"Maybe it's Chase," Ginger answered, with a teasing tone.

"Ginger, I have told you an infinite amount of times I DO NOT LIKE CHASE!" Cocoa said quickly and harshly as she and Ginger entered their school.

"Sorry! Geez! You might wanna stop yelling cuz he's right there" Ginger motioned with her head to where Chase was standing, about 15 feet away.

Cocoa only heard a little bit of what Ginger was saying as she stared at Chase, with a dreamy "I'm in love" look in her eyes.

Chase Blitz was the captain of Bridgetown's school football team, and certainly looked the part. He was tall and had blond hair that was short, but not too short, and muscular, after all, as Chase would say himself "10 years of playing football just does that to a guy." Chase also had a winning smile that would make any girl do a double take, and deep, blue eyes. Sometimes, Cocoa seemed to feel lost in them.

All of a sudden Cocoa felt rapid tapping on her left shoulder. Reluctantly, she turned to face her best friend.

"What?" Cocoa said.

"Oh yah, a girl can stand staring at a boy pratically drooling and still say she doesn't like him! Really Cocoa, really?" Ginger declared, laughing a little bit.

"Oh COME ON! And yes Ginger, really" Cocoa exclaimed.

"Whatever....uh oh!" Ginger laughed, but then got really serious.

"What Gin--" Cocoa said nervously as she saw Chase coming her way, "Do I look okay?" she asked hastily.

"Awesome!" Ginger responded genuinely.

"Oh what am I gonna say?" Cocoa asked very nervously as Chase kept getting closer and closer to where they were standing.

"Just chillax Cocoa and be yourself" Ginger smiled.

Cocoa was starting to feel anxious as Chase finally reached her.

"Hey" Chase said with his signature smile.

"Hi..." Cocoa replied, trying not to stare too much and hoping she would be able to talk.

"Just wanted to give you guys your school schedules for the year" Chase, who always called everyone 'guy' or 'guys' whether they were guys or not, said as he gave Cocoa and Ginger their school schedules.

"Thanks," Cocoa answered, somewhat shyly, as she put her schedule into her backpack.

"No problem, see ya around!" Chase responded as he turned around and started for his first class.

Cocoa couldn't help staring after the star quarterback as he walked away. She was still in emotional shock that he would talk to her. Cocoa smiled dreamily, wondering if he really was the person she saw in her daydream. Suddenly she saw something move back and forth over her face.

"Hello? Earth to Cocoa, wake up!" Ginger stated as she rapidly shook her hand in front of her best friend's face.

"Huh?! What'd I miss?!" Cocoa eyes fluttered open as she returned to reality.

"Sure, you, Cocoa Browne, absolutely, 100%, without a doubt, do not like Chase Blitz" Ginger teased, walking over to her locker.

"Shhh! People will hear you!" Cocoa shushed as she opened her own locker.

"So you do like him?" Ginger answered as she put some of her books in her locker.

Cocoa thought hard, trying to think of something to say to steer this conversation in a different direction. As she opened her mouth to speak, much to her delight, the warning bell rang.

"5 minutes 'til class! What's your first?" Ginger asked, as she grabbed some books out of her locker.

Oh man! I can't believe I forgot to look at my schedule! Cocoa thought as she fumbled around in her backpack for the paper.

"Grammar" She read, and quickly grabbed the books needed.

"Awesome! That's my first class too!" Ginger declared, happy that she and Cocoa would be together for their first class.

"Oh gosh! The warning bell rang, like, 3 minutes ago! Class will be starting soon!" Cocoa exclaimed as she grabbed Ginger's hand and dragged her to their class.

When they got to the classroom, Cocoa noticed that most of the desks were taken, but smiled when she saw 2 desks next to each other, and quickly claimed one of them, noticing another one of her old friends.

"Yo Cocoa, how's it going?"

Chapter 4: (haven't decided on a name yet)

"Really Drew, really?" Cocoa laughed. She and Drew had been good friends since practically forever.

"Yes Cocoa, really!" Drew smirked. His jet black hair with vibrant green bangs could seem intimidating at first, but when you got to know this German Shepherd, you'd find that he's quite the prankster.

"Whatever..." Cocoa smiled, rolled her eyes, and sat in her desk, face forward. Class was starting.

Cocoa tried to focus on what the teacher was saying, but try as she might, her attention on the lesson was quickly fading.

Was the guy Chase? No, it couldn't have been. But it looks so much like him!

Oh no...not again! The young artist was suddenly aware that she had let her dreaming get the best of her.

"Miss Browne, is there something you wish to be sharing with the class?" her grammar teacher announced sternly. All eyes were on Cocoa.

Me and my big mouth... She muttered quietly so no one could hear her.

"Well?" the teacher said gruffly.

Cocoa's mind raced to find an answer, but luckily for the second time today, the bell rang. Once everyone started pouring out the door to get to their next class, Cocoa felt a tap on her shoulder. Even before she turned around, Cocoa knew it was Drew.

"What do you want, Drew" She smiled and rolled her eyes.

"What's bugging you?" He asked.

"Pffft....nothing" Cocoa replied, hoping that he couldn't tell.

"Pffft yeah there IS! Something's on your mind. C'mon, you can tell me!" He grinned deviously.

"Look, can you just leave me alone?" she replied, annoyed, and started to walk to her locker.

Is it really THAT obvious? Man, I gotta find Ginger..... the young artist thought.

"Ehhh...no, not really" he smirked, standing in front of the door.

"Not now Drew, I'm not in the mood" she growled, and pushed past him.

"Aww c'mon, don't be a downer Coke!" he caught up to her.

"I've told you a million times, DON'T CALL ME COKE!" she yelled, aggravated.

He nicknamed me when we were five, yet he still finds a way to come up with a nickname for my nickname...boys are so dumb!....well, sometimes, anyway she thought to herself, the daydream popping back into her mind. Cocoa was positive now that it was her not-so-secret crush, Chase. A beaming smile and glazed-over look took over her face.

Drew laughed, knowing how badly she was crushing.

"You do know that Chase is going to ask out Narcissa, don't you?" he said

In the blink of an eye, Cocoa's smile turned into a frown. The glazed-over look turned into a blank stare. It was as if someone had slapped her in the face.

"W-well how do you know?" she replied, "Lots of rumors spread around this school. Most of them aren't even true!"

"I agree with you on that, but I happened to hear this one straight from the horse's mouth. Chase told me after practice last night" he paused "I'm really sorry Cocoa, I know how mu--"

"Just drop it" she cut him off abruptly, walked briskly to her locker, put in her combination more quickly than normal, yanked it open, and grabbed her math books, all the while thinking to herself.

You know he's right, Cocoa. Drew joined the football team as a wide receiver four years ago. If anyone would know who Chase would date, it'd be him...

Drew mouthed an "ooooohkay", knowing that if he said anything more, she might explode.

Out of the corner of her eye, Cocoa noticed Ginger coming down the hallway. The young artist pretended not to notice her, not in the mood to talk.

"So, Drew finally told you about Narcissa, huh?" Ginger said, feeling her friend's pain, "It's been going around all of last summer. Neither of us had the heart to tell you before. I'm so sorry"

"I can't believe I didn't see this coming! I had a feeling Chase had his eye on her, but I just didn't want to believe it. I guess I was hoping if I said it wasn't true, that he might not actually be interested in her..." Cocoa blurted out, trying to hold back her tears.

"Cocoa, Chase isn't worth crying over! Sure, he's every girl's dream, he's top of the line, the best in the business, but if he can't see you for who you are, he's nothing! Besides, Narcissa is really bratty and ugly anyway" Ginger stated, trying to comfort her.

"Ginger, you aren't fooling anyone. You and I both know that Narcissa is sweeter than a coffee with 20 sugars, and more beautiful than the flower she's named for. He deserves a girl like that," she sniffed.

"Okay, that sounded SO gay!" Drew exclaimed from behind her. Cocoa couldn't help but laugh.

"Thanks Drew, you always seem to know how to cheer me up" she smiled weakly, giving him a side-hug.

"Woah! Don't you dare try and use me to make Chase jealous!" he backed off a bit.

"Shhh! You'll give her ideas!" Ginger snapped.

"Relax guys!" she replied calmly, "I'm in 10th grade now, it's time for me to start acting more mature anyway."

**will finish later**

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~More chapters coming soon!

-Doggie

Last edited by DoggieGirl808 on Sat May 29, 2010 9:07 pm; edited 3 times in total

_________________ My life will never be the same since You wrote Your name on my paper heart!